About Us

A Message from the Founding Members

This group is being started in the Fall of 2024 by a small group of Zen practitioners. 

Why "Zen Learners Association"? All Zen practitioners, both teachers and students, should be life-long learners. No one is ever permanently enlightened and completely rid of their human habits and clay feet. 

The Zen Learners Association has no formal structure, no board, no budget, and is not an incorporated non-profit. There are also no membership dues! The only "membership list" will be that created as people join or leave the Google Group. The only organizational policy is that emails to that group should be civil and of interest to others. The founding members will, at least at the start, be the in charge of lightly monitoring the Google Group and determining the content of this website.

ZLA will, of course, serve its purpose only if it evolves into a larger group!  While ZLA is open to all who practice Zen, our belief is that  those who do not belong to a teacher group will find it especially beneficial. An engaged, informed, and active membership strengthens a sangha. It makes better use of all sangha members' talents and creates resilience should misconduct or other difficulties arise. People who practice independently need support as well.

We  hope you will join us.

In the Dharma,

Julie (Seido) Nelson, Great Plains Zen Center
James (Shoun) Lopata, Greater Boston Zen Center
Vicki (Zenryu) Grunwald, Nebraska Zen Center
Timothy Tickle, Greater Boston Zen Center
Caroline DeVane, former priest at the Chicago Zen Center